Bridging plug slip means



May 13, 1941. c. H. BARNES BRIDGING PLUQ SLII MEANS Filed Jan. 22, 1940[N VEN TOR 0/14/6153 H BAR/YES LLNQ A rromva Y Patented May 13, 1 94'1UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mn oruo. PLUG sun MEANS Charles H. Barnes, Glendale, cum, assignor toofDelaware Angela, (laliL, a cor- Application January as, 1940, SerialNo. 315,045

5 Claims.

My invention relates to bridging plugs, more particularly to a slipconstruction for bridging plugs. Among the objects of my invention are:First, to provide a bridging plug having slips adapted to occupy aseated position at opposite ends of a packing sleeve, the slips being soarranged as to form a continuous abutment around slip locking rings I.These ride upon the body I and are adapted to enga e wickers formed inthe body member so that the collar may move J downwardly upon the bodymember, but will lock have a relatively small diameter compared to thecasing in which it fits so as to provide a maximum circulation area.between the bridging plug and the casing, thus facilitating movement ofthe bridging plug through the casing when the casing is filled withliquid;

Third, to provide a bridging plug which, by reason of the supportafforded the packing sleeve,

may employ a packing sleeve formed of relatively soft rubber oranalogous material whereby the force required to distort the packingsleeve into its sealing position is minimized; and

Fourth, to provide a bridging plug which is particularly designed forsuspension from a cable and set by a setting toolsuch as shown in thecopending application, Serial No. 308,608, filed December 11, 1939.

With the above and other objects in view, as

may appear hereinafter, reference is directedto the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my bridging plug with the parts inthe positions assumed when the bridging plug is being lowered into awell; V

Figure 2 is a similar elevational view showing the parts of the bridgingplug in the positions assumed when the bridging plug is seated within awell casing, the'well casing being shown in section and fragmentarily:and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bridging plug in itsseated position, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2,only one-half of the section being shown to avoid duplicatiom Mybridging plug comprises a tubular body member l of substantially uniformdiameter, the lower end of which is closed by a nose piece 2 which issomewhat larger in diameter than the body I and forming therewith ashoulder 3.

A collar 4 is slidably fitted around the other or upper end of the bodymember and is provided with internal annular channels which receiveagainst return movement.

Between the shoulder 3 and collar 4 there is slidably mounted upon thebody member i a pair of cone sleeves 1. These have conical slip-engagingfaces 8 converging toward the shoulder 3 or collar 4, as the case maybe. Each conical sleeve 1 is adapted to coact with a plurality of slips9. Each slip 8 is in the form of a cylindrical segment, the outersurface of which has a radius corresponding approximately to thediameter of the casing in which it is desired to set the bridging plug.This surface is provided .with serrations Id. The inner surface of eachslip is frusto-conical, at least in part, to conform to theslip-engaging faces 8 of the corresponding conical sleeve.

' Each slip is provided with a dovetail lug H and the collar 4, as wellas the nose 2, is provided with dovetail slots l2 formed radiallytherein and which receive the lugs ll so that the slips are i free tomove radially outward but not axially with respect to the nose 2 orcollar 4, as the case may be.

The other or extended end oi each slip 9 is provided with a lateral,circumferentially extending lip I! which is adapted to fit into a notchI4 formed in the confronting edge of the adjacent lip.

Each of these slips is initially held on its cone by shear pins II. Theslips are so arranged initially that the shear pins are not all placedon a shearing strain at one time, but in regard to .certain of theslips, clearance is'had between the shoulder 3 or collar 4, as the casemay be.

Between the conical sleeves 1 there is fitted a packing sleeve it formedof synthetic rubber or analogous deformable material. The confrontingends of the conical sleeves are shaped so that when the sleeves aremoved toward each other the packing sleeve may be deformed outwardlyinto is provided between the bridgingplug and the surrounding casing topermit ready descent to the desired location. Means (not shown and whichconstitute part of a setting tool shown and described in thehereinbefore mentioned application) are so arranged that when thesetting tool packing sleeve.

is operated the collar 4 is forced downwardly and the body I is drawnupwardly. This causes the conical sleeves I to move toward each other,distorting and expanding the packing sleeve into contact with thesurrounding casing. Continued movement of the collar 4 causes the slips9 to shear their pins ligand move radially outward on their'respectivecones into wedging contact with the surrounding casing. When the slipshave reached their locking position, such as shown in Figures 2 and 3,their extended or confronting ends form a continuous abutment for thepack- X ing sleeve therebetween. The lips l3 remain in slightlyoverlappingrelation with the notches ll so that the Packing sleevecannot flow axially between the slips and for the limited distance Idetermined by the depth of the notches ll. The

is relatively high and the fluids contained therein have a tendency toswell and soften rubber and I even -many synthetic rubber compositions.

novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

1. A bridging plug comprising: a packing sleeve; cone and slip means onopposite sides of said packing sleeve and engageable therewith to deformsaid packing sleeve into sealing contact with a surrounding casing; andmeans incorpoble arcuately overlapping abutments for limiting axial flowof said packing sleeve.

2. A bridging plug comprising: a packing sleeve; cone and slip means onopposite sides of said packing sleeve and engageable therewith to deformsaid packing sleeve into sealing contact with a surrounding casing, saidslips having circumferentially overlapping means at their endsconfronting said packing sleeve to form a circular abutment forrestricting axial flow of said packing sleeve.

3. A bridging plug comprising: a packing v sleeve; an expander at oneend of said sleeve;

Bridging plugs are intended to be set in the well w and leit there forlong periods of time, often permanently, and inasmuch as rubber and manyof the synthetic rubber compositions that are suitable for this p osebehave as liquids under the temperature and pressures encountered, thepacking sleeve tends to flow until-all available space is filled, andunless restrained will continue to flow axially until leakage may occuraround the with the particular arrangement of the slips herein shown, acontinuous abutment is afforded which limits the axial flow of thepacking sleeve.

- It is not necessary thatthe packing sleeve when first set completelyflll the spaces as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The packing sleeve swellsand softens under the conditions of'heat and pressure involved, and thepacking sleeve will ultimately completely fill the space withoutdisturbing its function as a sealing medium between the casing and thebridging plug body.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scopeof the appended claims. in which it is my intention to claim all slipmeans coacting with said expander. to secure the same relatively to asurrounding well casing, the extremities of said slips confronting anend of said packing sleeve and having circumferentially overlappingportions at their extremities to form a circular abutment for saidpacking sleeve.

4. A bridging plug comprising: sleeve; an'expander at one end of saidsleeve; slip means coacting with said expander to secure the samerelatively to a surrounding well casing, the extremities of said slipsconfronting an end of said packing sleeve and having circumferentiallyoverlapping portions at their extremities to form a circular abutmentfor said packing sleeve, said slips having the form of segmentalsections; and means for holding said slips in equally spaced relationaround said expander.

5; A. bridging plug comprising: a mandrel; a packing sleeve mountedthereon; expander sleeves at each end-of said packing sleeve; slipsadapted to spread on said expander sleeve upon movement thereon towardsaid packing sleeve,

- whereby when said slips engage a surrounding casing they confront theends of said packing sleeve and circumferentially-extending bridgingmeans incorporated with each of said slips to present a series ofabutments between the slips for limiting axial flow of the materialcomprising said packing sleeve. 7

. CHARLES H. BARNES.

a packing

